Debt boom sparks charity jobs drive

CITIZENS Advice has launched a recuritment drive to cope with the growing number of people facing debt problems.

The charity, which is the UK's largest provider of free advice on money, has already seen a 44% rise in the number of people coming to it for help during the past six years and estimates that it needs to bolster its 21,000-strong voluntary workforce by 5,000 a year.

It handles around one million new debt enquires a year, and fears that with the amount people owe now totalling more than £1 trillion its services will be increasingly in demand.

The group also wants to increase the work it does to improve people's financial literacy, ranging from running dramas in schools to courses for young offenders.

The volunteer recruitment drive is being held as part of its Advice Week 2004, which runs from today until 12 September to attract new volunteers for Citizens Advice Bureaux.

During 2003/2004 a total of 20,973 volunteers worked in Citizens Advice Bureaux across the country, around 60% of whom were women.

They worked in a variety of roles, ranging from being trained general advisers to helping with IT and administration.

'Volunteers are the backbone of the service, but we desperately need more,' said David Harker, chief executive of Citizens Advice.

Advice Week 2004 also marks the 65th anniversary of the Citizens Advice service, which was set up in 1939, the day after the outbreak of the Second World War. Advice was available from 200 bureaux back in 1939. In 2004, free CAB advice is provided from over 3,200 locations.

People who would like to volunteer should call 08451 264264.